Seven Days
by Tia-Chan18
Summary: Seven days that look into the relationship between Aang and Katara. (For Kataang week)
1. Secrets

Hi guys! Sorry that my stories are late for Kataang week! I still plan on uploading them for everyone to see! I hope you guys enjoy them nonetheless! Some may vary in length! Just thought I should tell you !

(I dont own avatar!)

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Katara wasn't good at keeping secrets. Every time she had thought of something or discovered a new idea, it would never stay hidden for long. If it was Sokka pointing out her expressions, it'd be Toph who'd point out her racing heart.

The only person who never said anything was Aang.

Though Katara would be thankful she never had to hear him question her, it also made her somewhat curious as to know why he'd never say anything. Part of her thought it was because he was focused on defeating the firelord and wasn't interested in what she had to say. Another part of her thought that he just didn't care because it wasn't any of his business. Katara never pondered on this for long however, as she always had someone nagging her.

So it came as a shock to her when he had approached her after Zuko joined their group.

"What's wrong Katara? You've been silent since Zuko joined us."

She gave him a glance before looking back at the waves crashing against the cliff. When she had stood up, she couldn't recall but she felt her fists clench and unclench in anger. She wasn't sure if she was going to cry, but she knew she was going to fight it. She didn't want Aang to see her secret. Especially the young boy in front her.

"I don't trust him."

Aang's eyebrow arched in confusion at her tone. He had never heard Katara speak with such malice in her voice. He's seen her upset, and angry. But this.. This was much worse.

"Katara. I know he's done a lot of mean things to us, and I'm not expecting you to forgive him the way we have. In fact, I haven't fully forgiven him either."

She looked at him in disbelief. "If you don't trust him, then why did you let him join us?"

"Because Toph had a point. While he's done a lot of things to us, it wouldn't be right to judge him based on our feelings. I need a firebender teacher, and he's willing to teach me. I don't know if he has any ulterior motives, but Toph seems to trust him, even though he burned her feet. She's willing to give him a chance, something that I offered to him a long time ago."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Aang had offered him a chance to be friends a long time ago?

"Oh. And why did you decide to keep this a secret from us?"

He smiled. "Because I knew you'd react like this. Everyone deserves a second chance Katara. You gave me one when you and Sokka decided to travel with me. I know he's done a lot of bad things, but he deserves it. We're just being childish if we continue to treat him like this. It seems he has changed and I feel we should give him a chance."

When he saw her expression hadn't changed, he frowned.

"Why do you feel so against it Katara?"

Her face turned into one of surprise and she couldn't keep her eyes on him. She wanted to spill her secret to him, but was scared of how he'd react to it. Placing her hand on the necklace that currently rested on her neck, she turned to look at him.

"He made me forget about my mother."

His eyes widened at hearing her voice. It trembled in fear and sadness. It made her seem so weak and vulnerable. He wanted to ask what she meant about it, but she beat him to it.

"When he took her necklace, I couldn't remember who she was. I've had this necklace since she died. It's always reminded me of her courage and who she was. I was able to imagine her kindness, her love, and everything she had done for me and Sokka. But... When I lost her necklace, as each day passed, I started to forget little things about her. And while I fought desperately to keep her in my memories, I ended up forgetting her. I ended up remembering her and what she meant to me when I finally got it back. I've always felt bad about forgetting her, and that's why I never talk about it. I'm ashamed to admit that I forgot about her."

Feeling arms wrap around her, she gasped and looked into gray eyes. He wiped the tears from her eye, before giving her a sad smile.

"It's okay Katara. I understand now. I'm not going to force you into forgiving him. I just want to let you know that I don't think differently of you. I still care about you a lot Katara, and nothing you do or say will change that."

She gripped onto his clothing and wept into his shoulder. She knew this would stay between the two of them. That made her happier than she could express. This would be their dirty little secret, and she was okay with that.


	2. Comfort

Here's **Day 2: Comfort**. I will try to update this everyday but it may not be possible! Nonetheless I will try!

(I don't own Avatar)

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She wasn't sure how to handle the pain. It's been a few days and already she was antsy and worrying over the young man that laid in front of her. Her brother, who was usually outgoing and loud, was quiet and not making any sounds. The only sound was his breathing and it was rather low to Katara's liking. He was always there for her, ever since their mother died. Maybe even before then. And so she felt she should do the same for him. She hadn't left his side since the attack.

After all, it was her fault he was in this position right now. Azula had attacked them without warning and he had shielded her when she wasn't paying attention. She noticed that Toph was constantly by his side too, although she didn't show as much concern as she did. She couldn't help but blame herself for the position he was in. She couldn't even look her friends in the eye knowing it was her fault they were currently camping outside a small village.

She was grateful for the silence that was in the room. It gave her time to sort out her thoughts and feelings. She knew Toph could sense her guilt and pain, but she was concerned for the boy and didn't say a word. When she felt the need to get up and find something to eat, Toph had acknowledged her with a nod.

"It's okay sweetness. I can watch over Sokka. There's no need to worry over his wellbeing. Besides, you should go check on Aang. I haven't seen him all morning."

Not knowing what else to say, she took off to find the airbender.

.

.

.

It didn't take her long to find him as he sat at the edge of the mountain in a meditative position. She didn't know how to start the conversation so she decided to sit beside him, staring out into space.

She felt him take a deep breath before he opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her.

"How's Sokka?"

"He seems to be pulling through. I think he's just really tired."

He nodded. "We all are."

Silence took over again as they both contemplated their thoughts. Katara didn't want to sound like a child but the fear of losing her brother was overwhelming. Her doubts were growing by the second and she broke the silence first.

"Aang... Am I weak?"

He looked at her with wide eyes. He noticed her hands were in her lap but they were clenched tightly and he could see the doubt and fear in her eyes. He couldn't believe the words that came from this girl's mouth. Why would she even think such thoughts?

"Katara... What makes you think that? Of course you're not weak."

"I should've been able to protect him! Instead, I wasn't paying attention and now Sokka's hurt! What if the injuries were much worse? What if I never found out I was a healer? If I didn't have the ability to waterbend, there's a good chance he wouldn't have been hurt!"

Placing a hand on her shoulder, he gave her his signature smile.

"Katara, listen to me. If you weren't a waterbender, I'd still be in the iceberg. The Fire nation would've already won the war and we never would have met. Sokka took the hit because he wanted to protect you. He knew there was a chance he wouldn't make it, but he also knew you'd never let him die. He trusts you to the point where he risked his life to save you. If I had never burned you, there's a chance we wouldn't have learned about your healing abilities. Even though we've gone through a lot to reach this point, I'm glad we did. It's given us a chance to learn more about ourselves and our abilities. So you should stop beating yourself up because I know that once Sokka wakes up, he's going to lecture you for being upset. You need to be strong for him, and I know he's going to wake up soon."

She looked at him before giving a small smile of her own. She knew Aang was right; being upset and beating herself up isn't going to make Sokka wake up faster. She also knew she was going to have food ready for him the minute he woke up. She was quite surprised he hadn't woken up sooner due to his hunger.

She blinked when she noticed a hand in front of her face. Her gaze went to Aang who held his hand out.

"Come on Katara. Let's go find some food! If I know Sokka, he'll be complaining the moment he wakes up about being hungry."

She laughed before taking his hand. She pulled him into a hug and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks Aang. I really needed that."

He couldn't contain the blush but he smiled and kept her hand in his as they began walking towards the small village. They didn't want to keep Sokka waiting and though they knew he'd be whining when he woke up, they wouldn't have it any other way.


	3. Rainy Days

Hey guys! Sorry for not updating yesterday! Things happened. So I hope I can do a double update today as both day 3 and 4 prompts are quite similar. I hope you guys enjoy this!

(I don't own Avatar)

**Day 3: Rainy Days**

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Sokka groaned for the fourth time that day as the rain held steady. He couldn't believe how far behind they were due to the crazy rain storms that continued for the past three days. It was a nice change in scenery but at the same time, if given the choice, Sokka would choose snow any time.

Growling, Toph stomped her foot. "Stop groaning Snoozles! It's getting on my nerves and I'm trying to concentrate!"

Placing his hands on his hips, he tapped his foot on the ground; "Concentrate on what? Everyone's here! What's there to worry about!"

Shaking her head, she grumbled, "It seems like I'm not the only blind one around. If you'd stop grumbling, you'd notice that Katara is missing !"

She stomped her foot on the ground, causing Aang to snap out of his daydream. He then realized noticed Toph was right; Katara wasn't anywhere in the house. He couldn't think of where she'd be, but he couldn't help but worry when he saw the rain beat down harder.

Getting up from his spot, he walked towards the door, not noticing Sokka stand up.

"Where you going Aang?"

Opening the door, he turned his gaze to Sokka, "I'm going to find Katara."

.

.

.

She was grateful for the pond that was located behind the inn they were staying in. Despite the chilly winds, Katara couldn't bring herself to go inside. The call of the water was too strong for her to resist and she had been missing this when she lived in the South Pole. She told herself she was going to live somewhere close to the ocean so she could stay connected with her element. She didn't know how long she was outside or how upset everyone was but she couldn't bring herself to care.

She began to twirl in the rain, laughing happily at the feel of the water hitting her skin. Her eyes were wide and shining with happiness and she didn't realize just how much she missed being in the rain. She couldn't find it in her to stop spinning but it seemed her body chose for her because she collapsed in the mud behind her. She just laughed like crazy, not even caring that she was now dirty and had to wash her clothing.

She saw Aang approach her from the corner of her eye, but she couldn't contain her laughter as she laid there, enjoying the rain against her skin.

"Katara! Are you okay?"

She noticed how his eyes shone with worry as he stared down at her. Giving him a huge grin, she replied between laughs, "I'm fine Aang. I just haven't felt this happy in a long time. It feels great!"

He blinked at her, confusion written on his face as he contemplated the situation. It's true the rain had been calling to him, but he didn't feel this strong of a pull as Katara did. It seemed like she didn't have a care in the world and this shocked him a lot. Katara was the one who always cared and had a more serious nature. But the girl in front of him was so... _**Childish**_.

He smiled before reaching out his hand, "Come on Katara. Everyone's wondering where you are."

She gave him an adorable pout that made him want to just kiss her senselessly.

"Awe! Do we have to go?"

At this look, Aang couldn't help but laugh. He had never seen Katara act like this before. Normally, this would make him worry, but he couldn't help but join her and laughed with her.

"Katara, as much as I would love to join you, Sokka is freaking out because he has no idea where you are. If you don't return soon, Toph is going to knock him out."

At this, she sighed before grabbing his hand and standing up. She wiped off the mud that stained the front of her dress. She looked at Aang before flashing him the most beautiful smile he's ever seen. It made him speechless and he couldn't find any words to say. Despite being covered in mud, Katara was still beautiful in his eyes. He felt nothing could change that and he began to feel warm thinking about it.

Noticing Aang's fidgeting, Katara frowned and placed a hand on his forehead. "Aang! You're starting to burn up! Do you have a fever?"

The pounding of his heart was deafening and he didn't pay much attention to her words. His eyes closed in bliss at the feel of her smooth hand and it took most of his willpower to not pounce on her. He blinked before a blush took over his face. Turning away from her cool hand, he kept his eyes on the ground as he shook his head to clear the thoughts in his mind.

"I'm fine Katara. Let's just go."

He spun fast on his heels, not wanting Katara to see his nervousness. The rain was starting to make him feel things he didn't want to express so soon. Seeing Aang walking away, Katara couldn't stop her chest from hurting. She shook her head before running to catch up with him. Trying to get rid of the negative thoughts in her head, she grabbed his hand and held it as they walked back together.

They weren't willing to admit; feeling their hands intertwined had never felt so good.


	4. Storm

Alright guys! This one is different from the others. It focuses more on their emotions. (I think Katara's more so) But there will be mentions of storms too! This is set after the Ember Island Players episode!

**Day 4: Storm**

(I don't own avatar!)

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He clenched his fists in anger and shame. How could he have kissed her after she said she was confused?

"Ugh! I'm such an idiot!" he shouted as he slammed his head against the rail. His eyes were half opened as he stared down at the ocean. They shouldn't have come to see this play. It was horrendous and they didn't portray them at all! If they hadn't come, this wouldn't have happened! Him and Katara would still be laughing and enjoying being together.

But now...

Everything was so complicated.

Sighing, he decided he'd deal with the mess later. Right now, he should go back to the others lest they worry about him.

.

.

.

It was after the play, and the heroes were heading back to the mansion. Katara had mumbled to them a goodnight before she went her separate way. Toph could tell something happened between her and Twinkletoes. Their heartbeats were an indication, and while she wanted to ask them, she knew better than to interfere. It was why she allowed Katara to have the room to herself.

Rumbles were heard in the distance as Katara stood at the window. Her facade had dropped and she clenched her jaw in anger before she threw a water whip at the wall. She could feel the walls inside her heart crumble along with her and she couldn't handle it. Why did he have to tell her now? She knew he had feelings for her.

The kiss played in her head, causing her to fall to her knees in agony. She could feel her heart rage in the storm of despair and sorrow. Ironically, that was when the lightning and rain started to fall and it made Katara clutch at her chest in pain. Tears streamed down her face as she cried her anger away. By this point, the winds were howling and suddenly, she was thrown into darkness due to the lighting.

She didn't hear the sound of everyone running around the house in a panic nor did she hear Aang come into her room with a light in his hand. She tuned everyone out as she cried and pounded the floor with her fists. It was when she felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn her broken gaze to the young airbender beside her. Her eyes widened before she jumped into her defensive position and glared at him.

This caused him to widen his eyes in shock. He'd never seen Katara act this way towards him. Zuko and Jet were the only guys she had ever glared at and seeing this look towards him made a stabbing pain in his chest. Turning his eyes from her, he whispered.

"I wanted to check on you. Everyone else is safe, but no one came to see how you were.. I didn't mean to intrude."

The pain in her chest doubled and it made her guilty. Here he was, checking up on her because he was worried, and she was treating him horribly just because of their fight. Her instinct to pull him into her arms and hug him senselessly was at war with her distancing herself from him. She didn't want to feel vulnerable ever again. However, she knew as long as he was around, she would always feel that need to protect him.

The flash of lightning reminded her of the night he was shot by Azula and she couldn't take it anymore.

She fell to the ground and cried. She clutched the carpet with her hands as they shook uncontrollably along with the rest of her body. Aang, who had never seen her like this before, reacted immediately and hugged her tightly. He was able to feel her entire body shake and it scared him to no end. She had never seemed so vulnerable like she did now. It was something that made him fall even more in love with her.

She didn't even fight Aang's embrace, clutching his robes tighter by the minute. It wasn't the storm that scared her to the point where she felt like breaking. No, it was how gentle and patient Aang was being with her. Despite their fight earlier, he willingly came to check up on her, fully knowing she'd be upset and wanting to fight somebody. Just being in his arms made her feel more confused. She knew she had feelings for him; it was obvious to everyone no matter how many times she'd try to deny it. He made her feel safe and secure, a feeling she hadn't known since her mother died.

It scared her to pieces when he was unconscious and she didn't know if he'd ever wake up. She lashed out at her father because she felt abandoned by both him and Aang. She wanted to love Aang, welcome him into her heart and never let him leave. However, just remembering him being shot down and unresponsive made her realize just how much both of them could be hurt, and not just physically. It emotionally scarred her and made her close off her emotions.

But now, when he kissed her again, she wanted to cave in. She just wanted to sail away on the calming waves he made her feel and just let him consume her fully. But the fear of never seeing him is what made her hold back. When she was with Aang, it was easy to forget what their objective was. They had to defeat the firelord. She didn't want to be a distraction or make him worry about her well-being. She wanted him to concentrate fully on the final fight ahead. Once that was out of the way, she was fully willing to submit herself to peace. While she knew what she wanted, it seemed that Aang wanted something to start right away. And she couldn't blame him. He had a point after all; they hadn't talked about the kiss and it hurt him not knowing what was going on between the two.

She felt weak from the crying, and she lifted her head from his shoulder, and looked into his eyes. They still held the childish quality to them but at the moment, they were more serious and concerned for her.

She sighed, feeling the weight of her thoughts crushing her to the point where she couldn't breathe. She felt her hand clutch him tighter but kept her gaze on their knees.

Licking her lips, she opened her mouth to speak, "Aang... you were right... I'm sorry.."

His other hand held her cheek so she would look at him. He hated when she wouldn't look at him. It was like looking at him was a bad thing, and he never wanted her to think that way.

"Katara... I'm the one who should be sorry... Despite knowing you were confused, I still forced myself onto you. I tried to force my feelings onto you. And it wasn't right. I invaded your privacy and for that, I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, she kept her eyes on his, "But it wasn't entirely your fault. I kept avoiding talking to you about our kiss at the invasion. You were hurting because I never mentioned it. I was avoiding talking about it because I was scared to admit to my own feelings. I was at war with myself Aang. I enjoyed it to the point it broke me. Every time I'm with you, I feel so strong, like I can do anything. But then there's moments where I feel so vulnerable around you. And it's confusing. I didn't know how to react. I ran away from you because I didn't know how to accept it. It was the same with tonight. I do love you Aang... It's just... right now, it's not the right time. You have to be focused on defeating the firelord. If we start a relationship now... and if something happened to you..."

She let the last statement sink into his head, hoping he'd understand. She couldn't bear to think about what life would be with Aang. And she could feel the storm brewing inside her heart again. She wanted to run away at this point. He didn't even say a word, just kept looking at her as though she was crazy.

Feeling a soft pressure on her cheek, she turned her head slightly to see Aang kissing her. It wasn't long, but it was soft and sweet, and it caused her to blush despite the circumstances.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "If you get to kiss me on the cheek all the time, it's only fair that I get to as well right? There's no harm in that is there?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but she shut them realizing he had a point. She looked away with a blush before leaning up to kiss him on the left cheek. She felt his heart race underneath her fingertips, but she smiled against his cheek. When she pulled away, she looked down at their hands, which had found their way to each other.

"Katara... When all of this is over... Can we.. you know... Try this out? I really do like you, and although I wish something can happen sooner, I don't want to rush you into this... If you feel that we should wait.. Then I'm willing to.."

She smiled at him before giving him a big hug.

"Of course we can Aang.. I would love to give this a try."

And in that hug, she could feel her heart calming down and the despair had disappeared.


	5. Midnight

Sorry these are late guys. I had a wedding to go to yesterday so I had no access to a laptop. I hope I can finish this series today.

**Day 5: Midnight**

(I don't own Avatar)

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She let out a long sigh. This wasn't how she planned on spending her night. However, Katara knew better than to expect anything from her brother. They had somehow gotten themselves lost and they were supposed to be at their meeting place in a few days. Sokka never seemed to impress her, though he has done a lot of good, he's also done a lot of dumb things too.

She sat alone on the mountain, looking up at the stars. She couldn't believe that they were on their way to face the firelord. She hoped Sokka's plan worked, because she was so tired of running around undercover. She just wanted to wear her own clothing and wear her mother's necklace again. She seemed so different without it.

"Thinking?"

She turned her head to look at Aang, a smile on his face. She still couldn't believe he let his hair grow out. He looked so childish, but it also seemed to suit him. It also made his disguise seem more realistic. To others, he wasn't the avatar, he was just a fire nation child.

"It seemed like a nice night to get away, if only for a while. What are you still doing up Aang? It's past midnight."

"I had the same idea as you. It was such a nice night I felt I should enjoy it."

She hummed in response before turning her gaze to the scene before her. She felt Aang sit beside her and they just listened to the sound of nature. Wind blew past the two causing Katara to shiver. She was used to the cold but she had been away from her home for months, and ended up adapting to the heat that was in the fire nation. She didn't know why, but she felt herself lean into Aang.

She didn't seem to realize the blush that crept on his face or that he was starting to sweat with nervousness, as she curled into his body more, just wanting to stay warm. He gave her a smile as he wrapped his arms around her, trying to keep her sheltered from the wind.

"I'm worried Aang.."

"What's wrong Katara?"

"What if our plan doesn't work? What if the fire nation knows we're coming and something happens during the invasion?"

"Katara... Nothing's going to happen. We're going to win. I have to.. I failed back at Ba-Sing-Se, I can't fail here. I have to stop this war before the comet."

"But Aang, you don't even know firebending. What if you need to use it but can't? I don't want anything to happen to you."

He lifted her face to look at her. He gave her the biggest smile she'd seen, causing a blush from her.

"Nothing's going to happen to me. As long as I have you and the others, we're going to win. Believe in me."

She found no hidden meaning behind those words, and it made her feel warm on the inside. Her heart raced and she couldn't take her eyes from his, seeing nothing but sincerity and love in them.

She smiled before hugging him tightly, "I do believe in you Aang. I always have."

Hearing those words, he hugged her tighter and didn't let her go. They stayed that way for the rest of the night, enjoying the peace and quiet with each other.


	6. Nightmare

**Day 6: Nightmare**

(I don't own avatar)

* * *

_It was unbarably hot, like she was suffocating underwater. But this wasn't her element at all. No, it was the opposite of her element. _

_**Fire**__._

_She didn't understand what was happening. There was nothing but screams and terror in the air and she couldn't think right. She wanted her parents, wanted the safety of her loving parents. She couldn't even find Sokka within this mass of terror. It was nothing but chaos and nothing made sense in her mind. _

_She ran into the sea of people, trying her best to distinguish who was who. Everyone looked the same as she ran to find her family and friends. The ones she grew to love. She tried to keep running, but couldn't do so anymore, and she watched in horror as her mother walked away from her._

_"Mom! Please come back!"_

_Her hands were stretched out, hoping in some way, she'd be able to reach for her. Hoping she'd come back to her and be with her. But her mom never even looked back at her. Tears streamed down her face when the image changed from her mother to Aang, who had a blank expression on her face._

_"You let me die Katara."_

_She blinked before screaming, "No.. Aang I saved you! You're not dead! Please come back!"_

_"You didn't save me. The fire nation got me and you didn't help me. I had to fight by myself."_

_His tone was cold and emotionless, scaring Katara more than seeing her mother walking away. Her heart clenched in pain at that blank look and she just wanted to see him happy and laughing again. This person in front of her wasn't the Aang she knew._

_"Please... Aang. Don't go."_

_He said nothing as he turned and walked away from her. Katara couldn't even scream anymore due to the burning sensation in her lungs. Before she could get up, she felt her eyes shut as the world around her turned black._

_._

_._

_._

Gasping, she shot out of bed, tears were running down her face so quickly, she couldn't stop them. She felt around the bed for Aang, but he wasn't beside her. Panic rose in her throat as she cried harder and rested her head on her knees.

"Please.. Come back Aang.."

She was so immersed in her world, she didn't register a hand on her shoulder or arms wrapping around her until she was pulled into someone's lap.

"Shhh.. It's okay sweetie. I'm here."

She looked up and saw Aang giving her a small smile, reassuring her that he was in fact in front of her and not a figment of her imagination. She pressed a hand to his face and began tracing his jaw with her finger. She let herself go and wrapped both arms around his neck, noting that he was now slightly taller than she was and didn't understand how she failed to notice this. He gently pressed kisses on her cheeks, wiping away the tear marks that covered her pretty face.

They sat there in perfect silence, basking in each other's embrace. She was thankful he didn't ask her what was wrong but rather just held her gently and rocked her like a child. She felt so safe in his arms, as though he was her blanket covering her from the cold. She sighed before letting her eyes close and resting her head on his chest.

He kissed her forehead lightly and whispered 'I love you' in her ear and she snuggled closer to him, whispering the same three words.


	7. Safe

Here's the final prompt! Even though it was late, I'm glad I got to contribute to it! Now I gotta start IchiHime week *shudders* Thanks to everyone for your reviews and likes. If you ever have prompts, let me know and I can work on them!

Day 7: Safe

(I don't own Avatar)

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He can't believe what happened. He was supposed to be the one protecting, not the one being saved. And yet, here he was, watching the rising and falling of the girl who laid unconscious in front of him. He should've known Azula would escape from her prison and try to come after him. He just didn't think she'd resort to attacking him when she was fighting Zuko. And because of that, Katara had taken the blow for him.

The healers in Ba-Sing-Se said she didn't get any internal damages. Normally, this would've caused a breath of relief to come from his lips, but he still felt guilty for not paying attention. For having her save him once again.

It was like she was the avatar, not him.

She was the best healer he knew, and yet she still laid in bed for the fourth day. The healer's said all the damage was already taken care of, they just had to wait for her to wake up. Knowing she was alive should've been enough for him.

Nothing was enough for him.

He just wanted to kiss her senselessly, yell at her for being so reckless, cry because he almost lost the one person who took his heart and never gave it back. He was so confused, and he felt so helpless. He wished he learned how to heal, so he could heal her the way she heals him. He'd feel better knowing he could actually save her for once, instead of her always saving him.

"Katara..." He swallowed the guilt he felt before gently holding her hand on his. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

A groan caused him to snap his attention to her eyes, and just seeing her sapphire eyes made his entire heart stop.

"A-Aang?"

He gasped before squeezing her hand tightly. "Katara!"

A tired smile appeared on her lips before she whispered, "Can you get me some water? I'm really thirsty."

He jumped from the bed and waterbended some water before racing back to her side, glass in his hand. He held her head gently before tipping the glass so she could drink. He watched as she drank the whole glass before racing back to get some more. When he got back, he sat on the bed beside her, just watching her pretty face as she started to fully awaken from her sleep.

"I guess I was in pretty rough shape, huh?"

He nodded but didn't smile. He held her hand, finding some comfort in it as the shame and guilt crept up his skin once again. She noticed the look of guilt and pain on his face and frowned, wondering why he seemed so sad.

"Aang.. It wasn't your fault. If I hadn't jumped in the way.. Azula would've got you again."

He sighed, feeling the scar on his back as a reminder of what happened before. "I know."

She smiled, "So please don't feel bad. I chose to save you because I love you. You can't blame me for wanting to protect you..."

"But that's just it Katara! I'm supposed to be the one saving you! I'm supposed to be saving the world and ensuring that balance is brought to this world. How can I do that if the one person who keeps me balanced is gone?"

Cupping his face, she gave him a smile, "Aang... You don't realize what you've done for me. You've saved me more than you'll ever know. Is it really that bad if I want to risk my life to save you? If I want to be selfish and make sure you're still alive with me?"

He smiled at her, "Katara.."

"So please don't blame yourself. These injuries were my own doing."

Silence reigned over the two as they stared into each other's eyes.

He sighed, "We're a pair of idiots... Aren't we?"

She giggled, "Yes. We are. But Aang?"

The pause made him look into her eyes and she smiled brightly,

"I wouldn't want it any other way."


End file.
